Anthony Hopkins celebrates 49 years of sobriety in inspirational video

Last Updated on January 2, 2025

The time between Christmas and New Year’s is a bit of a vacant blur. But Anthony Hopkins will always have something to celebrate, as December 29th marks his date of sobriety. And to mark his 49th year, Hopkins has shared a lovely video on his Instagram account.

Now 86, Anthony Hopkins took to social media (via Entertainment Weekly) to share his anniversary. “Well, 49 years ago today, I stopped [drinking]. I was having such fun, but then I realized I was in big, big trouble because I couldn’t remember anything and I was driving a car, drunk out of my skull…I phoned up a group of people like me — alcoholic — and that was it. Sober. I’ve had more fun in these 49 years than ever.”

Forty-nine years of sobriety for Anthony Hopkins would put that day in 1975, a time when the legendary actor had already been earning acclaim on the big screen with films like The Lion in Winter. Soon after, he won his first Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case.

Anthony Hopkins also urged anyone who may need help in seeking sobriety to do so. “If you do have a problem — having fun is wonderful, having a drink is fine – but if you are having a problem with the booze, there is help. It’s not a terrible deal. It’s a condition. If you’re allergic to alcohol, get some help. There’s plenty of help around. One thing I didn’t realize: I was not unique. There are thousands of people around like me.”

Even nearing his 90s, Anthony Hopkins has hardly slowed down. Even after winning a surprise second Best Actor Oscar for The Father in 2021, Hopkins has released a number of films, playing Sigmund Freud, voicing a robot in Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon and playing King Herod in Mary.

At the end of his video, Anthony Hopkins wished his followers a Happy New Year – and with such a tremendous career and conquering personal struggles, he has every reason to have one of his own.

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